2006 merck/merial - School of Veterinary Medicine - Louisiana State ...

Joseph Francis, B.V.Sc., M.V.Sc., Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesLSU School of Veterinary Medicinejfrancis@lsu.eduResearch Interests:Dr. Francis’ research interest focuses on the role played by cytokines on pathophysiology of cardiovasculardisease. The overall objective of his research is to understand the brain mechanism regulating cardiovascularfunction with specific interest on the neurohormonal and cytokine influence on the progression of heart failure inrodents. Currently, Dr. Francis’ laboratory is involved in three primary projects. The first project examines theinteraction of cytokine with renin-angiotensin aldosterone system in heart failure. In the same project, he is alsoexamining the neurohumoral mechanism regulating cytokine expression in the brain after myocardial infarction.This study uses a combined electrophysiological, molecular and genetic approach to dissect the role played bycytokines in heart failure. The second project is to understand the forebrain mechanism regulating geneexpression in specific sympathoexcitatory neurons after myocardial infarction in rodents. This project uses genechip arrays and proteomics to elucidate the sympathoexcitatory genes. The third project is to understand the roleof cytokines in progression of diabetes with special emphasis on the brain mechanism contributing to insulinresistance. These studies will help in elucidating the role played by central nervous system in the progression ofheart failure and ultimately target the brain for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.Eric Lazartigues, Ph.D.Assistant ProfessorLSU Health Sciences CenterNew Orleans, LAelazar@lsuhsc.eduResearch Interests:Angiotensin-II (Ang-II) exerts its profound cardiovascular (CV) and volume homeostatic properties throughactivation of specific receptors, primarily Ang-II type 1 (AT1), located both in the periphery and in the brain.Evidence has shown the importance of the brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the maintenance of normalblood pressure (BP) and in the development of hypertension. Although, new genetic and pharmacological toolshave improved our understanding of the global functioning of this system, the role of its different components andtheir interactions remain poorly understood due to the difficulty in experimentally dissecting brain versusperipheral RAS. Recently, a new element of the RAS, named ACE2, has been identified and is believed todegrade Ang-II to the vasodilator peptide angiotensin-1-7 (Ang 1-7 ). Very recently, Dr. Lazartigues identified thepresence of ACE2 in the brain and his interests focus on the role of this enzyme in modulating the activity of thebrain RAS during the development of neurogenic hypertension. Using non-transgenic (NT) and geneticallyengineeredmice in combination with molecular, physiological, and pharmacological tools, his laboratory isdedicated in assessing the relative physiological significance of central ACE2 in normal and pathophysiologicalregulation of BP and other CV diseases.Pamela Lucchesi, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorLSU Health Sciences CenterNew Orleans, LAplucch@lsuhsc.eduResearch Interests:A major research thrust in Dr. Lucchesi's laboratory is to understand how the complex interactions betweenhemodynamic forces, reactive oxygen/ nitrogen species and activation of signaling cascades lead to changes incardiovascular remodeling and function that underlie heart failure, hypertension and diabetes. A combination ofanimal disease models, in vivo measurements of blood flow, cardiac function (echocardiography and Millarpressure catheters), in situ measurements of vessel reactivity and myogenic tone, single cell functional analysis16